Union-nipple clutch.



No. 778,462. q PATBNTED OCT. 25, 1904. v 5 G. H. BENTON.

UNION NIPPLE CLUTCH.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 6. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

44 M gvwewtoz Gum/M1 UNTTED v STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT @rTTcE,

UNION-NIPPLE CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,462, dated October25, 1904.

Application filed May 6, 1904. Serial No. 206,773. N model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. BENTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Metuchen, in the county of Middlesex, State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Union -NippleClutches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to clutches for applying and removing theunion-nipples of radiators, the object of the invention being to providea tool which may be quickly applied and removed and which will beefficient in its operation and insure against injury to the ground jointof the nipple. As these nipples are ordinarily constructed they areprovided with internal longitudinal lugs, which permit of insertion ofan angular body and prevent its rotation, so that a wrench may beengaged with the projecting portion of said body to rotate it andtherewith the nipple. In the present invention there is provided aclutch, which will readily engage these lugs and will insure rotation ofthe nipple with the clutch.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a perspective view of the clutch. Fig. 2 is a section takenlongitudinally through the clutch in engagement with a nipple, theclutch having a bushing thereon to fit it-to the nipple. Fig. 3 is asection taken transversely through the nipple, the clutch, and itsbushing.

Referring now to the drawings, the present clutch comprises a centralbody portion 5, which is angular in cross-section to receive an ordinarywrench for rotating the clutch, and at the ends of this body portion arethe circular flanges 6 and 7, which serve to prevent slipping of thewrench against the ground face 8 of .a nipple 9 in the operation of theclutch.

From each end of the body portion there projects a stem, (shown at 9 and10,) which stems are of different cross-sectional dimensions to looselyfit nipples of difierent sizes. Each of the stems 9 and 10 has two ofits opposite side faces 11 and 12 flat and parallel, while the oppositeside faces 13 and 14 are convex, so that when the stem is inserted in anipple these convex faces will lie in close relation to the inner wallof the nipple. Formed longitudinally of the faces 13 and 14 and open ingthrough the free end of each stem are grooves or channels 15 and 16 ofsuch dimensions that when the stem is inserted in a nipple these groovesor channels will receive the ribs 17 and 18, extending longitudinally ofthe inner face of the nipple. The engagement of the ribs in the groovesor channels insures rotation of the nipple with the clutch when thelatter is rotated by engagement of a wrench with the body portion 5thereof, as above described. The two stems 9 and 10, of differentdiameters, provide for manipulating two sizes of nipples, and when anipple of a larger size is to be manipulated a bushing is providedforthe nipple, consisting of a sleeve 20 of substantially cylindricalshape having a central longitudinal passage 21 corresponding incross-sectional shape to the stem 9, so that the sleeve may be slippedonto the stem and will be held against rotation thereon. In

the outer face of the sleeve 20 are formed longitudinal slots or grooves22 and 23, corresponding to the grooves 15 and 16 and for a likepurpose.

It will be understood that in practice modifications of the specificconstruction shown may be made, and any suitable materials andproportions may be used for the various parts without departing from thespirit of the invention.

It will be noted that the opposite side faces of the sleeve 20 areconcaved, these faces corresponding to the flat faces 11 and 12 of eachstem. The object of so forming these faces is in order that the tool maybe employed even when the lugs of the union-nipple are so badly castthat they would not go into the grooves, at which times, when the stemalone is used, it is only necessary to adjust the tool so that itsopposite fiat sides will engage opposite sides of the lugs. 'l/Vhen thesleeve is used in a larger nipple under the same conditions, theconcaved sides are engaged With opposite sides of the lugs.

l/Vhat is claimed isl. A union-nipple clutch consisting of a centralcross-sectionally angular body portion adapted to receive a Wrench forrotating it, a nipple-engaging stem at each end of the body portion, andguard-flanges between the body portion and the stems,said. flanges beingspaced apart a distance sufficient to receive a Wrench between them.

2. A tool of the class described comprising a central angular bodyportion, a stem at each end of the body portion having longitudinalchannels opening through its free end and a sleeve removably fitted uponone of the stems and having longitudinal channels in its outer "faceopening through one end.

8. A union-nipple clutch consisting of a central cross-sectionallyangular body portion adapted to receive a Wrench for rotating it, stemsat opposite ends of the body portion, said stems being of differentdiameters and adapted to engage Within nipples, and continuous guardflanges between the central body portion and the stems, said flangesbeing spaced apart a distance sufiicient to receive a Wrench betweenthem.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE H. BENTON.

Witnesses:

CLIFFORD W. BENTON, M. H. ACKEN.

